Génesis 39

1 Y descendido José a Egipto, lo compró Potifar, oficial del Faraón, capitán de los de la guardia, varón egipcio, de mano de los ismaelitas que lo habían llevado allá.

2 Mas el SEÑOR fue con José, y fue varón prosperado; y estaba en la casa de su señor el egipcio.

3 Y vio su señor que el SEÑOR era con él, y que todo lo que él hacía, el SEÑOR lo hacía prosperar en su mano.

4 Así halló José gracia en sus ojos, y le servía; y él le hizo mayordomo de su casa, y entregó en su poder todo lo que tenía.

5 Y aconteció que, desde cuando le dio el encargo de su casa, y de todo lo que tenía, el SEÑOR bendijo la casa del egipcio a causa de José; y la bendición del SEÑOR fue sobre todo lo que tenía, así en casa como en el campo.

6 Y dejó todo lo que tenía en la mano de José; ni con él sabía de nada más que del pan que comía. Y era José de hermoso semblante y bella presencia.

7 Y aconteció después de esto, que la mujer de su señor alzó sus ojos sobre José, y dijo: Duerme conmigo.

8 Y él no quiso, y dijo a la mujer de su señor: He aquí que mi señor no sabe conmigo lo que hay en casa, y ha puesto en mi mano todo lo que tiene.

9 No hay otro mayor que yo en esta casa, y ninguna cosa me ha reservado sino a ti, por cuanto tú eres su mujer, ¿cómo, pues, haría yo este grande mal y pecaría contra Dios?

10 Y fue que hablando ella a José cada día, y no escuchándola él para acostarse al lado de ella, para estar con ella.

11 Aconteció que entró él un día en casa para hacer su oficio, y no había nadie de los de casa allí en casa.

12 Y ella lo asió por su ropa, diciendo: Duerme conmigo. Entonces él dejó su ropa en manos de ella, y huyó, y se salió fuera.

13 Y acaeció que cuando vio ella que le había dejado su ropa en sus manos, y había huido fuera,

14 llamó a los de casa, y les habló diciendo: Mirad, nos ha traído un hebreo, para que hiciese burla de nosotros; vino él a mí para dormir conmigo, y yo di grandes voces;

15 y viendo que yo alzaba la voz y gritaba, dejó junto a mí su ropa, y huyó, y salió.

16 Y ella puso junto a sí la ropa de él, hasta que vino su señor a su casa.

17 Entonces le habló ella semejantes palabras, diciendo: El siervo hebreo que nos trajiste, vino a mí para deshonrarme;

18 y cuando yo alcé mi voz y grite, él dejó su ropa junto a mí, y huyó fuera.

19 Y sucedió que cuando oyó su señor las palabras que su mujer le hablara, diciendo: Así me ha tratado tu siervo; se encendió su furor.

20 Y tomó su señor a José, y le puso en la casa de la cárcel, donde estaban los presos del rey, y estuvo allí en la casa de la cárcel.

21 Mas el SEÑOR fue con José, y extendió a él su misericordia, y le dio gracia en ojos del príncipe de la casa de la cárcel.

22 Y el príncipe de la casa de la cárcel entregó en mano de José todos los presos que había en aquella prisión; todo lo que hacían allí, él lo hacía.

23 No veía el príncipe de la cárcel cosa alguna que en su mano estaba; porque el SEÑOR era con él, y lo que él hacía, el SEÑOR lo prosperaba.

Génesis 39 Commentary

Chapter 39

Joseph preferred by Potiphar. (1-6) Joseph resists temptation. (7-12) Joseph is falsely accused by his mistress. (13-18) He is cast into prison, God is with him there. (19-23)

Verses 1-6 Our enemies may strip us of outward distinctions and ornaments; but wisdom and grace cannot be taken from us. They may separate us from friends, relatives, and country; but they cannot take from us the presence of the Lord. They may shut us from outward blessings, rob us of liberty, and confine us in dungeons; but they cannot shut us out from communion with God, from the throne of grace, or take from us the blessings of salvation. Joseph was blessed, wonderfully blessed, even in the house where he was a slave. God's presence with us, makes all we do prosperous. Good men are the blessings of the place where they live; good servants may be so, though mean and lightly esteemed. The prosperity of the wicked is, one way or other, for the sake of the godly. Here was a wicked family blessed for the sake of one good servant in it.

Verses 7-12 Beauty either in men or women, often proves a snare both to themselves and others. This forbids pride in it, and requires constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends it. We have great need to make a covenant with our eyes, lest the eyes infect the heart. When lust has got power, decency, and reputation, and conscience, are all sacrificed. Potiphar's wife showed that her heart was fully set to do evil. Satan, when he found he could not overcome Joseph with the troubles and the frowns of the world, for in them he still held fast his principle, assaulted him with pleasures, which have ruined more than the former. But Joseph, by the grace of God, was enabled to resist and overcome this temptation; and his escape was as great an instance of the Divine power, as the deliverance of the three children out of the fiery furnace. This sin was one which might most easily beset him. The tempter was his mistress, one whose favour would help him forward; and it was at his utmost peril if he slighted her, and made her his enemy. The time and place favoured the temptation. To all this was added frequent, constant urging. The almighty grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome this assault of the enemy. He urges what he owed both to God and his master. We are bound in honour, as well as justice and gratitude, not in any thing to wrong those who place trust in us, how secretly soever it may be done. He would not offend his God. Three arguments Joseph urges upon himself. 1. He considers who he was that was tempted. One in covenant with God, who professed religion and relation to him. 2. What the sin was to which he was tempted. Others might look upon it as a small matter; but Joseph did not so think of it. Call sin by its own name, and never lessen it. Let sins of this nature always be looked upon as great wickedness, as exceedingly sinful. 3. Against whom he was tempted to sin, against God. Sin is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God, for this reason hate sin. The grace of God enabled Joseph to overcome the temptation, by avoiding the temper. He would not stay to parley with the temptation, but fled from it, as escaping for his life. If we mean not to do iniquity, let us flee as a bird from the snare, and as a roe from the hunter.

Verses 13-18 Joseph's mistress, having tried in vain to make him a guilty man, endeavoured to be avenged on him. Those that have broken the bonds of modesty, will never be held by the bonds of truth. It is no new thing for the best of men to be falsely accused of the worst of crimes, by those who themselves are the worst of criminals. It is well there is a day of discovery coming, in which all shall appear in their true characters.

Verses 19-23 Joseph's master believed the accusation. Potiphar, it is likely, chose that prison, because it was the worst; but God designed to open the way to Joseph's honour. Joseph was owned and righted by his God. He was away from all his friends and relations; he had none to help or comfort him; but the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy. Those that have a good conscience in a prison, have a good God there. God gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison; he trusted him to manage the affairs of the prison. A good man will do good wherever he is, and will be a blessing even in bonds and banishment. Let us not forget, through Joseph, to look unto Jesus, who suffered being tempted, yet without sin; who was slandered, and persecuted, and imprisoned, but without cause; who by the cross ascended to the throne. May we be enabled to follow the same path in submitting and in suffering, to the same place of glory.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 39

In this chapter the history returns to Joseph again, who being brought down to Egypt was sold to Potiphar, with whom he found favour, and who set him over his house, the Lord prospering everything in his hands, Ge 39:1-6; and being a young man of a comely aspect, his mistress lusted after him, and tempted him to lie with her from time to time, but he as constantly refused it, as being both ingratitude to his master, and a sin against God, Ge 39:7-10; at a certain time they being alone in the house, she renewed her solicitations, and laid hold on his garment, which he left in her hand and fled, Ge 39:11,12; upon which she called to her servants without, and accused Joseph of an ill design upon her, and reported the same to her husband when he came home, Ge 39:13-19; upon which his master put him into prison, but he found favour also with the keeper of it, who committed the prisoners and all things relative to them into his hands, Ge 39:20-23.